This invention generally relates to floor coverings for notifying pedestrians, persons in wheelchairs, and bystanders of a nearby drop-off or dangerous ledge. This invention also generally relates to floor coverings specially adapted with grooves, protuberances, or textures for notifying and instructing pedestrians, persons in wheelchairs, and bystanders of appropriate safety measures. The special adaptations, or xe2x80x9cdetectable warningsxe2x80x9d provide a more safe environment for those in the vicinity of patent and latent dangers.
The Federal Government has enacted 28 C.F.R. Part 36 which requires the presence of detectable warnings to notify disabled persons of the presence of nearby drop-offs and ledges. The purpose of which is to enable disabled persons to function more easily in society in general and does so by providing safety standards and adaptable access means for the disabled.
Disabled individuals are a disadvantaged minority who are continually faced with restrictions and limitations, particularly when it comes to transportation and accessing high traffic and mass transit locations. For example, platforms adjacent to mass transit throughways, such as bus stops, train platforms, metro stops, and airplane runways must remain easy to navigate for the mass population, yet safe for the individual who is blind or constrained to a wheelchair.
Detectable warnings provide a solution for the sight impaired who are dependent on environmental cuesxe2x80x94sounds, elements that can be detected by a cane, or textures underfoot that can warn the disabled of hazardous conditions. Likewise, persons in wheelchairs can rely on physical borders on the ground""s surface to prevent themselves from mistakenly departing from level ground.
The Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) imposes upon the construction and design of certain public facilities to bear disabled persons in mind so that disabled persons can utilize the facilities. While the American Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is generally designed to remove or lessen the number of barriers to which handicapped and disabled individuals are subjected, implementation of the remedial aspects of the ADA has been inhibited or delayed because of the practical difficulties of implementing safety adaptations without compromising facilities.
Often times, detectable warnings are required on walking surfaces that cross or join vehicular ways or other environmental hazards where, for example, there is no curb, wall, railing, or other separation means to alert pedestrians and the like passing into an area of potential danger.
28 C.F.R. Part 36 Section 4.29.2 states in part:
xe2x80x9cDetectable warnings shall consist of raised truncated domes with a diameter of nominal 0.9 in (23 mm), a height of nominal 0.2 in (5 mm) and a center to center spacing of nominal 2.35 in (60 mm) and shall contrast visually with adjoining surfaces, either light on dark, or dark on light.xe2x80x9d
The code further requires that the surface comprise a 36 inch wide border that creates a boundary between pedestrian areas and hazardous areas such as train and vehicular areas. (28 C.F.R. Part 36 Section 4.29.5). Platform edges in transit stations are permitted to have borders of only 24 inches in width along the edge of the platform.
In addition, detectable warnings must extend along the entire surface of the flooring, and the flooring must be comprised of a non-slip matrix, again, having a strong color contrast with the surrounding ambient environment. Frequently, a matrix of the color yellow, conforming to Federal Color No. 33538, is required.
Accordingly, there are manufacturers who manufacture safety flooring surfaces with the specified detectable warnings to comply with 28 CFR Part 36. The disadvantage of such surfaces is that previous manufacturers have provided a safety flooring surface that is applied to the existing ground or ambient floor surface by a permanent adhesive. In addition, and to make replacement even more problematic, the flooring surface is typically installed from large rolls, such as linoleum. The adhesive tends to be so strong that subsequent efforts to remove the safety flooring surface results in destruction of the ground structure. This destruction in turn requires a re-laying of the existing ground structure, such as concrete, etc. As can be imagined, this reconstruction process is costly and disruptive, such as, to a nearby transit system, as well as, to its passengers.
The present invention eliminates the present hardship of having to damage the ground structure every time any portion of the safety flooring surface requires replacement. The present invention also greatly facilitates the installation and de-installation of flooring surfaces by providing interchangeable sections. Sections may be interchanged repeatedly as the mechanism for attaching the flooring surface is secure yet mechanically reversible.
Moreover, the present invention also provides a flooring surface having pathways in the form of discernible grooves or otherwise smooth areas for permitting the passage of wheels of a wheelchair or the like. Alternatively, a flooring surface may include raised bars for actually directing the movement and direction of the wheels of a wheelchair. Accordingly, the present invention provides a flooring surface possibly having: pathways for permitting the wheels of a wheelchair, raised bars for directing the wheels of a wheelchair, and detectable warnings for providing an environmental cue for disabled persons. The combination of the aforementioned surface characteristics may be variously combined and choreographed depending on the particular needs and hazards presented by the surrounding environment.
Briefly summarized, the present invention permits the installation of flooring matrix in sections and without the need for a permanent adhesive. Instead, the present invention consists of sections of flooring matrix that may be secured and removed by brackets or bolts that engage a walking surface, e.g. either points on the ground or an anchor box embedded within the ground structure. The anchor box, while anchored within the ground structure, need only be installed once and may support replacement after replacement of any number of the sections of the flooring matrix that are operatively secured to the upper surface of the anchor box.
Mechanisms for securely attaching the flooring matrix sectionals to a walking surface can vary but are depicted herein by conventional threaded bolts that originate optionally from either the flooring matrix sectional or the walking surface underneath. The threaded bolts engage a threaded female portion embedded in the flooring matrix sectional or walking surface, with the bolt and female portion collectively forming a two-part fastener. Though the present invention is described herein using conventional threaded two-part fasteners, any appropriate fastener for securely attaching the flooring matrix sectional to the walking surface underneath may be applied.
As defined herein, the two-part fasteners include: 1) a matrix anchor engaging, attached to, or embedded within the matrix sectional, and 2) a ground anchor which is embedded within the ground substrate. The flooring matrix sectionals may be securely fastened to the ground by the matrix anchors attached to either: a suite of independently positioned ground anchors embedded within the ground, or an anchor box that incorporates, within its structure, a suite of ground anchors. Either construction of ground anchors, independently placed or in an anchor box, can easily be installed into the ground during the construction of a facility, say for example, by incorporating the ground anchors into concrete when it is still wet, or after construction is complete, say for example, by threading the ground anchors into dry concrete.
One advantage of the present invention is that it enables easy installment and de-installment of flooring specially adapted for the safety of disabled persons. Areas particularly in need of such flooring includes mass transit depots and the like where repairs may be exceptionally inconvenient and costly.
Additionally, the present invention facilitates the mass production of identical, and therefore, interchangeable flooring matrix sectionals. Of particular note is that each sectional can be characterized by beveled edges which provide a uniform shape among sectionals. Accordingly, no matter where a repair may be necessary within a mass spread of flooring, any sectional will be an appropriate replacement due to the uniform size and beveled edges.
The beveled edges of each sectional may be intended to provide pathways for the wheels of wheelchairs or other devices to assist disabled persons. Additionally, the width and length of the sectionals may be appropriately modified so that the beveled edges of two abutting sections coincide with the standard wheel base of certain wheelchairs, for example. Of course, other modifications to the surface and traits of a flooring matrix sectional may be implemented for providing any number of variable particular functions for disabled persons. The most common functions are for providing detectable warnings or directional cues to disabled persons. For instance, the present invention discloses the use of surface features to indicate to disabled persons the location of entrances and exits of train compartments, for example. More innovative features of the present invention include optional heating elements for preventing snow and ice build-up that could otherwise cover and obscure the important environmental cues relied upon by disabled persons. Other superficial characteristics, such as, the form of patterns or colors, may be applied to the flooring matrix sectionals as well.